This is an archive of past entries. To add a new one, return to the
current page.
Purchased my TRV900 from OneCall, got great customer service. They shipped an item wrong but paid for the return, shipped the replacement right away and did not charge me for the cleaning tape I ordered. So far I am well pleased with the camera, although after 30min of taping one head clogged. the cleaning tape seemed to clear that and I have had no re-occurrance so far. Total time estimated at 2 hours so far. I have had it only one week.
Ron Eastman <roneastman@aol.com>
Greenville, SC USA - Friday, April 21, 2000 at 09:07:23 (PDT)Thanks for the great website. Got my TRV-900 from B&H Photo in NYC
overnight delivery for $1880. Had to return the com- pact flash card made
by Delkin Devices as it was incompati- ble. A Sandisk card worked fine. I
am very comfortable with this purchase and was particularly pleased with
being able to zoom to just over 20X digitally before any picture
degradation became noticable. I had previously purchased the TR7000 from
B&H ($620) to use for firewire editing. I will clean any capstan buildup
to prevent tape crinkle. I look forward to many satifying experiences with
this equipment.
John Lason
Lenox, MA USA - Friday, April 21, 2000 at 11:43:00 (PDT)Enjoyable read. I bought the DVL9800 from JVC recently, the camera is cool, the software sucks. Using a 300mhz PII in a laptop with 128meg ram and an 8 gig drive for a very portable setup. Unfortunatly, no firewire port on the laptop but a USB Dazzle gets it in and out for editing OK.
The camera has a nice editor built in allowing film clips to be arranged in order, then if using a JVC recorder, I am, the resulting pictures transfered via the S-Video is as good as my latest commercially purchased product. (Star Wars I) Not a setup for power users I'm sure, but for one on the go, it works very nice.
Bob Gearhart <qsabe@yahoo.com>
Trenton, MI USA - Saturday, April 22, 2000 at 05:05:24 (PDT) Just a great great site: I bought the TRV900 three months ago solely on the wonderful things I read on your site. Let me tell you I'am more than glad I did. Completely satisfied. Thanks for having this site.
Frank <Bagsncntrl@aol.com>
Pinson, Al USA - Saturday, April 22, 2000 at 05:22:12 (PDT)John,
Your link to dvarts.com is broken. I get pornographic site. Would you remove it from your site?
Otherwise an excellent job. Love your site!
Jason
Jason <j-comm@usa.net>
Walnut, ca USA - Monday, April 24, 2000 at 00:40:52 (PDT)Thanks for responding to my question (digital-out from analog tapes on Digital-8 cameras) -- nice meaty site.
Giles Morris <Giles.Morris@usa.net>
USA - Tuesday, April 25, 2000 at 13:58:50 (PDT)I purchased the TRV900 several months ago after reading the numerous
raves on your great TRV900 page. I love the camera and have purchased
several great accessories for the camera, and an editing workstation that
is also awesome. I purchased a DV2000 workstation from DV Gear online at
www.dvgear.com for $3000.00, and with everything already installed.
Included is the Matrox RT2000, Adobe PremiereRT5.1, a 3D titling program
called Ulead Cool 3D, Sonic Foundry ACID Music, and Adobe Photoshop
LE. This is one of the latest non-linear editing equipment in this price
range, that has just become available, and it is awesome. The 2-GB AVI file
size limit in windows 98 is overcome by providing seamless capture and
playback of unlimited file size within Adobe Premiere RT. I have a second
20GB hard drive for storage that can capture about an hour of high quality
video. There is analog and digital input/output-S-Video, composite, and
1394! You can output to tape from the time line without rendering, unless
you use the former Premiere transitions, titles and filters. The rendering
time for these items is very fast. You can use several included Matrox plug
in transitions that do not require rendering. The Ulead Cool 3d titling
software is also awesome and includes title animation. I tried editing
some events I shot on my TRV900 using transitions and titles. Everything
worked, the were no problems, and the quality was as good as the master
tape footage. I have professional audio equipment and purchased an XLR
adapter called the BeachTech Quiet Connection DXA-4SS designed to fit on
the TRV900. I purchased this adapter online from Samy’s Camera for
$169.00. This is a small unit that screws in to the tripod connection under
the camera. The unit is small and becomes a part of the TRV900. A tripod
can then be screwed in under this device. The output signal is sent through
an attached shielded cable terminating in a stereo mini plug that connects
to your camcorder’s microphone jack. This unit is similar to a mixer
with pots for levels and there is an impedance matching transformer. The
are two XLR inputs. There is also an aux input for standard mini-jack
connectors. I tested this adapter with lavalieres, a hand mike, and a
shotgun mike, with excellent results. I now feel that at last I own a great
professional camera and editing system that a year ago would have cost at
least $20,000, which was more than I could afford. If you own a good
computer with a large hard drive then all you need is the MatroxRT2000
which lists for about $1300.00. This comes with the Matrox400 Video card
that must be used in addition to the hardware card provided. The software
is the same as mentioned above. Fred E. Gutman <fegutman@ATT.NET> Redondo Beach,
CA USA - Friday, April 28, 2000 at 14:05:38 (PDT)I'm trying to connect my TRV900 to a Shure mixer in order to get the
audio from Lavalier microphones. I got an attenuater cord from Radio
Shack, but it doesn't work. I can't find anything in the instruction book
about this and wondered if someone could suggest the correct connection.
I'm using the aux output from the mixer into the mic input on the side of
the camera. Allen McClung <allenmcclung@netzero.net>
USA - Monday, May 01, 2000 at 16:00:37 (PDT)Thank you for putting together such a great web site. I had deliberated
a lot concerning Canon and Sony models. It was your well done web site
that finally allowed me to feel comfortable about purchasing the trv900.
As I am still learning I can't add much to the web site. I did purchase a
bag Tamrac 973, as well as the Sony Wide angle lense. I am still
considering the memory stick. Sony has a usb adapter that would work with
my laptop as well as my desktop. the usb has a very high transfer rate
better than parallel or floppy. I am not sure what unit I get for the
camera, so that it will read memory sticks. Anyone know the item? Many
thanks Manny Fernandez, Jr. <DrManny@aol.com> Santa Barbara, CA
USA - Tuesday, May 02, 2000 at 16:33:01 (PDT)You can read a little about memory devices for the TRV900 here:
accessories.html#memory,
CF Card list.
John
USA - Friday, May 12, 2000 at 17:08:14 (PDT)Incredible site John! Thanks to your detailed(and surprisingly unbiased)presentation of this product, I have acquired the TVR900 over the Canon GL1. I'm a professional fashion photographer who travels extensively world wide. I recently took my the TVR900 to Paris last week on during a fashion assignment. Not only is this the best camcorder that I've ever purchased, but amazingly the photo results it delivers rivals my top of the line Nikon gear for website distribution. The accurate color reproduction and lens sharpness was astounding. Digital film is the future of photography. Not only can you eliminate the high costs of processing at professional photo labs but more importantly, you can put an end to photo theft from lab employees. Even the most professional processing labs will have an occasional admirer who just has to print a souvenir of your finest work for his personal consumption (if you're lucky he won't distribute it). This camcorder produces excellent digital stills! When shot in manual mode, it can function as a professional 35mm SLR. You can visit my website to view some of the shots that I've loaded from my trip. I challenge anyone to spot which pics were shots came from the TRV900. I capture my still images on a Lexar compact flash and transfer it to the PC with the included Lexar USB-Jumpshot reader. I gently manipulate my images in Photoshop 5.0 using the levels function, cropping tool, unsharp mask(very important step in restoring the inevitable loss of sharpness from the transfer to PC)and in some case greyscale to convert the color shots over to black and white. My only regret is that it doesn't have a high enough resolution to output to 8x10" prints. 4x6" postcard sizes are about the best that can be achieved with this camcorder in order to retain a professional standard. I output everything on an Epson Stylus Photo 1200. The TRV900 was purchased from One Call. Ask for Patrick as he is a fair salesman and will do his best to price match your order. They screwed up my shipping address and Patrick promptly refunded the FedEx charges without my prompting. Thanks again for sharing your little discovery with the world. Sony and One Call owes you a commission check! Peace and Contentment, Thong
Thong <thong@thongfoto.com>
USA - Friday, May 12, 2000 at 23:23:03 (PDT)Hi,
Thanks for the nice page and the great info!
I bought my own trv900 1.1 years ago and of course 2 weeks after the waranty expired here
it comes the first problem!
Maybe you can give me a hint please!
- sometimes without any apparent pattern the image get pixelated (big ones which shows the
previous recorded images on the tape) and the sound stop for 1-2 sec... the glich repeat itself
once evry 5-10 seconds or 50-00 sec.
I am puzzled !
Please help!
Thaks,
Mircea
MIRCEA <gamami@netcom.ca>
EDMONTON, CANADA - Saturday, May 13, 2000 at 14:46:38 (PDT)If you can see previously recorded material in spots, that means it
was not erased when you recorded over it meaning either there was a
momentary "head clog" (bit of dirt on the video head) or severe
mis-tracking. Try a MiniDV "head cleaner" tape, sold by video stores,
which may fix a head clog. If this doesn't help, you'll need to bring it
in to the dealer for service. The repeating nature of the problem makes me
suspect mis-tracking related to some "wobble" of the cassette tape reel,
which is not a problem you can fix on your own. John
USA - Sunday, May 14, 2000 at 16:36:18 (PDT)TRV-900 Purchased 1 month ago in large part due to your web site. Thanks for informing people so well on all aspect of that comcorder.
Serge Lachapelle <sergelac@aei.ca>
Joliette, QC Canada - Thursday, May 18, 2000 at 09:54:34 (PDT)Hi, I get my MiniDv TRV900, two months ago, but the person who brought me the camera lost the guide, the instructions, manual, however, please if you can send me the function manual to my e-mail i will be very grate, happy, ok., no more, thanks
Carolina
Carolina Patiño Gutiérrez <patetarro@hotmail.com>
Medellín, Colombia - Monday, May 22, 2000 at 23:24:11 (PDT)I ordered my TRV900 from Adorama Inc. on 21 May 2000. They had the lowest price which was $1799.95 (USA warranty). Three day select shipping was $23.95. Their return policy is much better than One Call's although I've never had to use it (if pristine you have 14 days to return with no restocking fee). I've ordered many times from Adorama and have always received what I orderd when it was promised with no problems of any kind. This camera is excellent!
Paul V.
OH USA - Thursday, May 25, 2000 at 21:32:50 (PDT)Thanks for all the work you have done on this wonderfull web site. Tons of info to help me run my new camera even better. Your pages are informative and to the point. Thanks again.
Paul
Paul Rulon <PRRULON@aol.com>
FT.Collins, CO USA - Friday, May 26, 2000 at 22:25:46 (PDT)After enjoying my TRV900 for about a month, I noticed a bright "hot" pixel near the center of the screen in dimly lighted scenes. Unfortunately, the problem persisted to where it was even visible in both the viewfinder and the LCD screen. In early May I shipped it to Sony's Niles, IL, repair facility and received it back again after they had replace the prism assembly. The bright pixel was gone, but all video, both daylight and incandescent were extremely yellow - yellow clouds, yellow grass, etc. Once again, it is in Sony's hands awaiting a technician. Obviously, after the prism assembly was replaced, the white balance settings were not checked. Also, I was a bit distressed that Sony returned my camera in a poorly packaged double box. When I sent it to them the manufacturer's box was suspended in packing chips inside a larger box. When Sony returned it to me, the manufacturer's box was placed in very slightly larger box with no packing chips, only a single hand-sized piece of crumpled paper on one end. Fortunately, UPS handled it gently and the camera was not physically damaged. I'll keep you informed.
Harry Brown <brownh@muskegon.cc.mi.us>
Muskegon, MI USA - Saturday, May 27, 2000 at 05:20:02 (PDT)Hi John, Just checking back to see what new stuff I could learn. Any suggestions on where to get an extended warranty for my 1 mos old TRV900 and DV cleaning tapes for it? Thanks for all your visitors. It's amazing how many have stopped by my site. Peace and Contentment, Thong ThongFoto <thong@thongfoto.com>
USA - Tuesday, May 30, 2000 at 22:16:36 (PDT)Sony will sell you an extended warranty any time during the period of
your initial warranty. There are some Sony contact numbers here:
www.sel.sony.com/SEL/consumer/ss5/useful.shtml John
USA - Wednesday, May 31, 2000 at 12:29:53 (PDT)Just bought the camera a day ago from B&H for $1880, then I discover this site! Way cool. I am a game developer and intend to use the dcr-trv900 for motion/action analysis--taking advantage of slo-mo feature to study subjects for animation. The photo feature sounds perfect for image & texture aquisition to be applied to 3D modeling. And then there's firewire!
Brendon Thornton <brendonpub@nctimes.net>
Vista, CA USA - Wednesday, May 31, 2000 at 09:56:55 (PDT)In previous posts I mentioned my 60 day old 900 was returned to Sony for the 2nd time, this time to repair a white balance problem caused by Sony's replacement of the prism assembly. After 8 days away, a Sony technician called indicating they could not duplicate the problem. I had both documented the problem on paper and with a sample video. (Manual daylight-outdoor white balance setting, produces whites with are produced as yellow: yellow clouds, yellow paper that is actually white.)
The Sony tech questioned the use of the -3db gain shift as a possible cause. I had to explain to him that the gain shift reduces potential video noise when the image is adequately lighted, that it is a normal function, and is not the cause of the yellow tinge. I also mentioned that this problem did not exist until they changed the prism assembly. I carefully explained on the phone what I did in the letter as to how to reproduce the problem. The tech said he would call back and let me know if he was able to reproduce the problem or not. He did not call back
I'll let you know what happens.
Harry Brown <brownh@muskegon.cc.mi.us>
Muskegon, MI USA - Thursday, June 01, 2000 at 20:44:42 (PDT)HELP HELP HELP. I have had my TRV900 since December 1999 and although the digital picture quality is an improvement on my old Sony camcorder, the sound quaility is proving to be a considerable problem. The internal mike is very inferior consdering the price of the machine and particularly unsatisfactory is the fact that is picks up the clicking noise of the recording button being switched on and off. I tried Sony's own zoom mike, the ECM-HS1, but after swapping my original for another of the same model Sony finally acknowleged that it did not work with the TRV900 because of an incompatability problem. I have tried a "Hama" mike which was worse than the intermal mike. Why have I paid the best part of £2000 for a machine that has such terrible sound quality? Can anyone please please help resolve this dilemma, PLEASE??
Peter Heydon <peterheydon@talk21.com>
USA - Saturday, June 03, 2000 at 15:58:57 (PDT)I've heard a few complaints of noisy buttons, although mine seems
quiet. I wonder what you are comparing this microphone to, since the
majority of the 300+ respondents to my TRV900 survey rated the sound
quality either "good" or "excellent". Only one person said the sound was
"poor", and he had a defective unit which he later exchanged. That said,
from a critical audio point of view, the mic preamps are rather noisy
and your best sound will be from a professional mic (not less than $300)
plus preamp/mixer, see also my "accessories" page.
John
USA - Saturday, June 03, 2000 at 19:07:02 (PDT)Thank you for your reply to my last posting regarding button
noise. Unfortunately my local Sony store where I bought the camera say I
have had it too long to do a straight swap (6 months) and that they will
have to send it off for inspection (which would be about 8 weeks). I cannot
be without my camera for 8 weeks. Apart from 'button' noise, the internal
mike also picks up wind noise very easily. With my old camera which had an
external mike a cheap wind muff completely eradicated the problem. Not so
easily with this machine. There is a company called Ryedale who I believe
make a wind muff that will fit the front of the 900 (naturally Sony do
not!!). However, I can't find their web site. Can you help out?
Peter Heydon <peterheydon@talk21.com>
USA - Sunday, June 04, 2000 at 00:20:47 (PDT)Ah, yes. Wind noise is usually a problem for built-in mics. Rycote,
Lightwave and others make wind mufflers, as I mention here.
I am not aware of any commercial muffler for the TRV900, but one person
reported success by taping a sheet of acoustic foam around the mic grill.
John
USA - Sunday, June 04, 2000 at 01:10:22 (PDT)Hi, this is my third question following helpful answers to my previous queries. It regards noise picked up by the mic. My 900 picks up extremely noticeable button noise when recording. However, having just tested it, this noise is completely absent if I use the remote - which indicates that it really is the noise of the record button being pressed. Is there anything I can do to resolve this problem, short of carrying around the remote the whole time which is somewhat impracticable. Help me before I throw this machine in the garbage bin!!
Peter Heydon <peterheydon@talk21.com>
USA - Tuesday, June 06, 2000 at 14:15:33 (PDT)Evidently your model has a worse problem than most. Maybe the button is
slightly mis-shaped or misaligned, or maybe there is something electrical
about the switch injecting noise somewhere. All I can suggest is to consider
returning it as defective, or asking for warranty service. I'm sorry to
hear that Sony takes so long to inspect the camera (I've had mine repaired
twice; both times took about one week, story is here) but I
can't offer anything more helpful. John
USA - Tuesday, June 06, 2000 at 23:36:07 (PDT)John, Thanks for a very informative site regarding the TRV900. It was your site that helped me make my final decision on purchasing the 900. I just got my camera and have not had time to put it through its paces, but looking forward to.
Rick Downs <redowns@nycap.rr.com>
Troy, NY USA - Saturday, June 10, 2000 at 10:38:51 (PDT)Thanks to your site. It really helped me in deciding buy my 900, which I received last week. Excellent piece and a more Excellent site.
Please keep up the good work.
Talwinder S. <talwinder@hotmail.com>
USA - Monday, June 12, 2000 at 13:06:33 (PDT)What a great site. I have my brand new Tvr900 charging out of the box right now as I write this! Your site helped me determine which camera I bought. The amount of content here is simply amazing. Where do you find the time and energy? Keep at it mate! Craig Lish <craig@craiglish.com>
Risca, Carephilly, Wales - Wednesday, June 21, 2000 at 11:28:22 (PDT)Great site. I just bought a TRV-900 and I am very new to camcording. Your site is great and very, very helpful and informative. Thanks.
Judi Barrett <judi.barrett@virgin.net>
London, United Kingdom - Friday, June 23, 2000 at 04:52:43 (PDT)Fantastic Website! Great Info! Just purchased my TRV900 from CameraWorld. Got a great deal! (I think, anyway) Bought the Camera, hard case & a GE 5yr Warranty for just under $2200.00 (Then got a $50.00 rebate from CameraWorld!
The TRV900 is nothing less than what you say on your website. I've taken some video and many stills and I can't believe how good the images are. Took some great rollercoaster shots yesterday and I've been sending them to friends.
I'll have to find out how to send some shots to you so that you can post them for future interested buyers! Thanks again for helping to make my decision the correct one!
Don C. (Dondo)
Don C <dondo13@home.com>
East Greenwich, RI USA - Sunday, June 25, 2000 at 09:47:29 (PDT)I bought a TRV900 this spring for use in various video projects including a local origination cable TV show. I agonized over whether to get an alternative such as the GL-1 but so far am happy with my choice. This Web site helped a lot in the decision.
There are surprises almost every time I use it. Today's surprise is that the TRV900 can apparently play mini-DVCAM tapes! We taped our show using a Sony DVCAM / MiniDV deck in the studio, and were surprised when the tape ran out at 41 minutes. That's the time limit for DVCAM on MiniDV tape as on the TRV900's cousin, the DSR-PD100A. I verified that I had a 60 minute MiniDV tape. The deck had been set to DVCAM mode accidentally. Just for yucks I plugged the tape into the TRV900, and the viewfinder registered 41 minutes. Pressed Play and it played back just fine. My guess is that the TRV900 and the DSR-PD100A are genetically virtually identical, with maybe even the same electronics and a simple internal mode switch set. A shame if true; it would've been great to have either recording format in a single camera.
As my partner says, we will advance at the rate at which Sony deems appropriate. :-) Richard Wiggins <wiggins@mail.com>
Okemos, MI USA - Thursday, June 29, 2000 at 08:25:27 (PDT)Wonderful site. It has taught me so much about DV in general as well as the TRV900 in particular. This is the Web at its best. I'm trying to decide whether to get a TRV1000 when it comes out. If it is better than the TRV900 it must be great! But newer models are sometimes worse than previous models, especially after the the cost-control people get their hands on a product. So any comparison info between the TRV900 and the TRV1000 would be much appreciated.
Steven Hand <sthand@ipass.net>
Apex, NC USA - Friday, June 30, 2000 at 05:05:16 (PDT)Correct me if I'm wrong but as of this writing (June 30 '00) Sony has
not announced a TRV1000 model. It's hard to compare to a theoretical
product :-). If and when any new model is announced it will be at least
several months before it appears on the dealer's shelves, and only then
will people be able to find out how it really performs. John
Beale
USA - Friday, June 30, 2000 at 08:04:08 (PDT)Your site is so valuable...better than a university course...Thank You so much !!.....I do videos of airshows and airmuseums plus some well known model airplane tapes that have sold extremely well.... mostly on SVHS and put on VHS.....Now I'm working with the 900 ....absolutely excellent....however I've found that the full size aircraft props tend to digitize or strobe; so does the smoke on some of the aerobatic aircraft...is this inherent with DV or is it my fault ??...I've seen this on at least one TV show but perhaps no one else notices ?....maybe you or someone else has the answers....PS. I've copied almost all the Beale material into a couple of binders for ready reference...."Great Stuff"...Thanks Again and Best to all in the Guestbook Entries , Frank
Frank Anderson <fhanderson@mindspring.com>
Palm Bay, Fl. USA - Sunday, July 02, 2000 at 12:53:52 (PDT)Glad you've found the site useful. Maybe I've seen your work showing at
the local hobby shop! Re: propellers, any video camera will show a "strobe"
effect on aircraft propellers, etc. if you set the shutter speed high
enough (each frame being more of a clear stop-motion image, than a smooth
motion blur). If you have your TRV900 set to "auto shutter" (a
configuration menu item) the camera will raise the shutter speed by itself,
as needed in bright conditions (which is almost always, when outdoors on a
sunny day). Since the TRV900's CCD is rather sensitive, the effect is more
obvious than on some other cameras. Avoid this by using an external ND
filter in addition to the camera's internal ND filter, and turn off "auto
shutter" so it stays at 1/60 sec.
John
USA - Sunday, July 02, 2000 at 22:57:16 (PDT)I am Malaysia. I decided to buy the TRV900 after reading your review about the camcorder and never regretted. I was thinking about a Panasonic model before that. I use the camcorder mostly to video birds and take the videos through the eyepiece of my birding scopes. Sample pictures from these videos are available at : http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=25214 I also now own a TRV20 in addition. Dr Chan Kai Soon <kaisoon@pc.jaring.my>
Ipoh, Perak Malaysia - Monday, July 03, 2000 at 20:30:23 (PDT)Simply the best source of technical information on the TRV900. John thanks for this great site with lots of usefull links.
Albert Schoolderman <albert@schoolderman.iwarp.com>
Arnhem, The Netherlands - Tuesday, July 04, 2000 at 14:08:04 (PDT)I just discovered your fantastic web site. Thank you very much. But I
have a question. Why does progressive scan give you better resolution than
interlaced scan for still subjects when the number of scan lines is the
same? For a still subject it shouldn't matter in what order the lines are
scanned. Sam Liden <sam@liden.cc> Phoenix, AZ USA -
Saturday, July 08, 2000 at 19:08:28 (PDT)You are absolutely correct that progressive scan mode will give you no
more resolution than a full-frame capture of interlaced video when your
subject and camera is fixed, and in fact, that's how I took my resolution
test pattern images. (You use a computer to do this, as the TRV900 only uses
one field when capturing interlaced video to flash card.) If I imply
differently anywhere on my page, let me know so I can change it. In
practice, quite often your subject and/or camera is moving; hence
progressive scan is better for clear stills. John
USA - Sunday, July 09, 2000 at 14:24:26 (PDT)I just purchased a new TRV-900, due in part to the information on this site. The manual that ships with camera isn't bad, but, if I could imagine a perfect scenario, it would include a link to a site that provided comprehensive coverage of all aspects of camera use and ownership. Lo and behold, there is one. Sony ought to be paying you! (But that would probably ruin everything, huh?)
Thanks so much!!!!! David Comdico <comdico@earthlink.net>
Philadelphia, PA USA - Sunday, July 09, 2000 at 10:16:25 (PDT)John, thanks for your reply to my question on progressive vs interlaced scans. Whould you confirm my understanding of your comment in parentheses, that when taking a photo the TRV900 only uses a single field, hence half the number of scan lines of normal video?
Sam Liden <sam@liden.cc>
Phoenix, AZ USA - Monday, July 10, 2000 at 10:13:03 (PDT)Thanks John for having such an amazingly helpful web page. We are videoing wildlife at night using Gen 3 night vision equipment and a small infrared beam. Works OK except picture green, vignetting and only 3 power telephoto (can't zoom). We are wondering whether we can dispense with Gen 3 and just use a much more powerful infrared beam. We could then Zoom and would not have vignetting. Subjects generally 5-20 yards away. Any ideas?
Bristol Foster <jbfoster@saltspring.com>
Saltspring island, BC Canada - Monday, July 10, 2000 at 21:37:15 (PDT)I know nothing about night vision, but I suppose if you use a "night-shot" type single-CCD Sony camera with strong IR source you could do ok. Sony's add-on IR source advertises 100 feet of range (narrow coverage angle).
John
USA - Tuesday, July 11, 2000 at 11:58:05 (PDT)I was seriously considering purchasing a Sony DCR-VX1000 but a friend
recommended the TRV900 instead. He also said that a TRV1000 is coming out
in September. Anyone know about the TRV1000? Wayne Jacobs <kathiandwaynej@aolcom>
Jamestown, NC USA - Friday, July 14, 2000 at 16:07:43 (PDT)Don't overlook the VX2000, either. Re: newer models, what I said on my
web page is still true. Sony has not yet announced a TRV900 successor. It
has been rumoured for many months, but as of today it's a rumour, not a
product. I believe Sony typically announces new products 3 months before
they are actually available for sale. September is within that timeframe
already, so if I had to bet, I'd say you won't see a new model by
then. John
USA - Friday, July 14, 2000 at 18:27:37 (PDT)hey john,
having worked in pbs television for over 15 years, i have always wanted to own my own camera. this month i decided to take the plunge. i originally was going to by a "package" from promax which included camera (either a vx2000 or xl1) and nle editing gear, but quite frankly, couldn't find a way to justify sinking 15k plus into a system that would be obsolete before i bought it. also couldn't get up the money. so i decided (after closely examining your wonderful web page on the trv900 for the twentieth time) to just buy a camera and accesories and try to barter, beg, or just steal editing time on my stations one of three nle systems, one of which is almost identical to the one i was going to buy. i ordered the trv 900 from profeel; they had the best price...just above $1860 as of july 2000. i got the delux acessory pak which included a tripod, padded case, 750 battery, and uv filter. i also got the sony 5 yr warranty for $199. finaly, i order a beachtek xlr adapter from b&h for about $170. one month a go, i knew nothing about dv cameras, prices, capabilities, etc. but thanks to you great info and other info i found on the net, i was able to make some very informed decisions. thanks so much for the time it took to put all your info together. i REALLY help me! i'll keep you up to date when i get the gear and have a chance to try it out. first project: a 15 minute short film that i've been dying to do for forever!
carl flamm
daytona beach, fl
carl flmm <flamm@bellsouth.net>
USA - Monday, July 17, 2000 at 05:22:34 (PDT)Great Site! Really helpful camera enthusiasts!
If any of you are in the San Francisco Bay Area
and want to collaborate with actors / writers as
well as video / film enthusiasts like yourselves
to create shorts or films, please come to one of
our M*A*S*S! meetings on the last Thursday of every
month at the right side door of the
SF Public Library, 1833 Page St, SF. The meetings
are free but we do ask that those who enjoy our group
volunteer to do small tasks to promote / administrate it
(this ensures that none of us become "secretaries").
If nothing else, sign up for our discussion list:
http://www.egroups.com/group/sf-mass. Noel Lawrence <sunleight.shining@hotoffice.net>
San Francisco, CA USA - Wednesday, July 19, 2000 at 13:15:58 (PDT)john,
i had wrttein a few weeks ago that i was going to get a trv900 and why. well i did! and i'd thought i'd report back for you and other readers of your fine info page like myself. firsly, i was very impressed with the "out of box" experience. the camera body appeared very sturdy and well made. when i started fiddling with all the controls, etc. i was very pleased. what a piece of nice gear! and even though it is fairly inexpensive compaired to others of its type and caliper, it is well worth the cost. I am using the beachtek xlr adapter and have had no problems with it. i use it in conjuntion with a sennheiser me-60 (or 80...it's fairly old and the model and make has all but worn off.) it served my station well for over ten years and hoppefully it will me for years to come. i am using panasonic 60's in sp mode and have had no trouble with them. i bought the camera and a package from profeel, who i think did a fine job. the price of the camera was $1869 as of the begining of jult, and along with it i bought the custom accesorries package for $169. it included an "okay" triod that will serve my puposes for a while, a nice padded camera bag, a uv filter and a 750 battery. i also got a 4-yr warranty for $199. though my background is broadcast video and am using the camera for short films and plan to begin a feature length soon. hopefully, i'll have a web page up for my production company soo so anyone reading can follow my progress. i have been using low shutter speed, fairly wide aperature, the ND filter and am trying defferent "feels" with different textures, colors and thicknesses of womens's nylons. it sound weird i know, but it works!!! soften the look nicely and smoothes out the contrast. if any of your readers haven't tried it, they should. they';ll be surprised and pleased with the results, i think. one thing though, in bright sunlight, the nylon pattern becomes apparent if you shoot too much with the sun too your front, which you normally shouldn't do anyway. the nylons look somewhat "avant gard" as well..."gee, is that a nylon on your camera? wow, cool!" that's it for now. am happy i am one of the many influenced by your page to buy this gem. will never regret it! (i hope.) i'll keep you posted as time goes on. best regards, carl
carl flamm <flamm@bellsouth.net>
daytona beach, beafl USA - Wednesday, July 26, 2000 at 06:44:29 (PDT)Thank you, John, for your great site.
Hopefully I'll receive my TRV900 whithin 24 hours (just ordered on line). I'm sure I'll be using all the site stuff for several times. I'll be back with my contributes as soon as possible. have a good time, leonardo leonardo previ <previ@triq.it>
Milan, ITALY - Thursday, July 27, 2000 at 08:32:42 (PDT)After reading about the TRV900 at your sight for over a year and buying two other video cameras including a DVL9800 from JVC (I still can’t get rid of it), I finally broke down and bought one. The truth is that the TRV900 can not be compared with other cameras below its price point and the sales brochures, magazine reviews and most of the bulletin board postings concerning the various models available are often “misleading”.
Now that I have a TRV900 I am in the market for a wide angle and telephoto lens. To avoid wasting even more money based “misleading” information, could you please tell me what is the difference and provide your personal recommendation with regard to:
The .7x52 mm wide angle (VCL-R0752) and its high resolution counterpart (VCL-0752H)
The 2(1.4)x52 mm telephoto (VCL-R2052) and its high resolution counterpart (VCL-1452H)
Thank you,
Leif Arneson
Leif Arneson <leif.arneson@simrad.com>
Norway - Thursday, July 27, 2000 at 23:14:00 (PDT)I have not done comparative wide or tele lens evaluations. What information I do have is available on my "accessories" page in the respective lens categories.
John
USA - Friday, July 28, 2000 at 14:11:23 (PDT)What a wonderfull web site on the 900...all those links too!
Thanks John for taking all the trouble to help us all.
Albert <prewar@btinternet.com>
Village!!, England - Saturday, July 29, 2000 at 02:58:06 (PDT)Thanks for such an extensive site from prospective customer!
Terry Stephens <tms@dezzanet.net.au>
Melbourne, Vic Australia - Monday, July 31, 2000 at 21:08:37 (PDT)I bought from onecall this past weekend and I told them that I found out about them from your
website, they were very helpful and didn't give any sales pitches. Even though Onsight Inc in Brooklyn was 200 bucks cheaper, I
couldn't get a hold of them when I needed to order. Question, it is supposed to be very humid this Thursday at an outdoor festival that I am attending.
Temps in the low 80s and dewpoints in the middle 70s. I don't have any money left over to invest in a rain
slicker... do you think any of the plastic bags out there (ziplock) are any good? or do you think I should just
keep the trv900 in my pelican case and just don't film at all.... it is supposed to be very nice on Friday and
Saturday....with brilliant blue skies (is the circular polarizer filter really great for bringing out the nice cumulus clouds
and blue skies? Also, has anyone gotten a live, XLR line in feed at a rock concert? I will be getting one this week and will hook
it up to the Beachtek XLR adapter and hopefully it will be good enough.
Dave Noble <davedaweatherman@hotmail.com>
Boston, MA USA - Tuesday, August 01, 2000 at 08:44:13 (PDT)People have used the TRV900 in a rainforest without trouble. If the camera is running, it will be slightly warmer than the environment, which means water will not condense in or on it. I'd say try it, but stop if the "dew" indicator comes on.
John
USA - Tuesday, August 01, 2000 at 12:19:41 (PDT)Recently I made use of the TRV-900 interval recording feature. One use was to test it. I pointed it at our bird feeder and ran it for several hours in 2 seconds per 30 seconds mode.
When I replayed the tape, besides getting a quick overview of the kinds of birds who visit, I found out all the critters besides birds who are eating the seed: chipmunks, squirrels, raccoon. If you take the interval recording and fast forward, you compress hours to just a few minutes.
Next I taped a house being built for a video on home networking we're working on. TRV-900 was hidden behind tinted windows in my SUV. On replay besides the house being built I saw a family sneaking onto the property and dumping used building materials into the dumpster! They even left for a second load! I was ready to bust them but the builder says the family bribed him with muffins.
This feature really is a very effective way to sample hours of real time activity. Next project: document traffic pattern at problem red light.
Rich Wiggins <wiggins@mailcom>
Okemos, MI USA - Tuesday, August 08, 2000 at 08:47:05 (PDT)I just found this site and it absolutely rocks! I've had my TRV900 for a couple years and am quite proud of myself for choosing it; I love this camera. And now, thanks to this site, I've learned some more cool stuff this camera will do, which I wasn't aware of because of the crappy manual. I will definitely be back to this site!
Randy Whitlock <randy_whitlock@yahoo.com>
Dayton, OH USA - Wednesday, August 16, 2000 at 09:14:12 (PDT)The TV show "Survivor" just did a riff on "Blair Witch Project," giving each contest a video camera with instructions to tape answers to questions they found in the jungle. The camera they gave to the five contestants? Why, the TRV900, of course. Rich Wiggins <wiggins@mail.com>
Okemos, MI USA - Wednesday, August 16, 2000 at 17:46:57 (PDT)HELP! HELP!HELP!Great Site John!!! Please help me understand the pros and cons of having PAL versus NTSC, I'm planning to buy a camera and may eventually do some experimental documentary work. I read labs love the versatility of the digital image (the way it transfers onto film, for example) but often wish people had used PAL. I have a Mac, plus a multysystem VCR, so I can easily view the stuff at home. Also I need to decide between the TRV900 and the TRV20. Bearing in mind everything I already know about the TRV900 from your site, what's your opinion on the following points to the TRV20?
Better still photos, given the megapixels?
Better a TRV20 PAL than a TRV900NTSC?
Lighter and smaller (I know this)
Faster zoom control?
Is it good for "sequential images" like the feature on the Canon Optura, so you can study movement? (I'm an animator)
Any other suggestions? Any thing really against the TRV20? Of course, the last consideration is the price!!!!
Thanks for anybody's help! GRAZIE!!!
Silvia Pompei <silviapompei@hotmail.com>
LA, CA USA - Thursday, August 17, 2000 at 13:59:19 (PDT)PAL transfers better to 24 fps film, but lots of transfers have been
done with NTSC too. Remember if you buy a PAL camera, you'll have to buy
PAL monitors and editing equipment as well, which is much harder to find in
the US. If your PAL camera needs service, it will probably have to be
shipped overseas (!) requiring long delays. John
USA - Thursday, August 17, 2000 at 19:59:18 (PDT)Recently purchased the TRV 900 in Japan because I live and work in Osaka. For those interested, there is no considerable price break buying it here, but the optional package including the 9 hr. battery luckily was a promotional free add on at the time I purchased the product. Of course the controls are in Japanese, but they are in the identical position of the US version, and learning their use was not difficult. Manuals are also available in English here in Japan. Although I purchased the camera to digitally capture the early childhood of my first born, as a professional architect, I have found that the camera, especially the remarkable still capture quality is quickly becoming my main source of construction project documentation. I have also begun to consider ways of using it as a marketing tool for my small design company and have challenged my staff to produce a promotional video capitalizing on it's high quality capabilities. Unfortunately, by introducing this challenge, I have had to also invest a substantial amount, equal to the cost of the camera, in DV editing software. Oh well, such is life. But a damn good camera all the same.
Ben <benskaggs@hotmail.com>
Osaka, Japan - Thursday, August 17, 2000 at 18:36:17 (PDT)Thank you for the incredible website. The wealth of information and the way you've put it together has been invaluable to me - I am so grateful! gunnar madsen <madsen@gunnarspot.com>
berkeley, ca USA - Saturday, August 19, 2000 at 13:53:52 (PDT)I want to thank you for taking the time in making this comprehensive site on the TRV900. I bought one based on the "support" and things I read on this site - a great resource. I am amazed. Got the camera from Yahoo auctions - brand new - for $1400. Thanx again. You are a stud.
Asheesh Dewan
Sorrento Valley, CA USA - Wednesday, August 23, 2000 at 19:30:50 (PDT)I use the TRV 900 and for the most part have used jvc tapes. I am thinking of switching to the high grade panasonic 83 min. tapes. Does anyone have experience with these and know of problems with switching tapes?
Thanks for any replies,
Jay Sokolovsky
jay sokolovsky <jsokolov@bayflash.stpt.usf.edu>
st. petersburg, fl USA - Thursday, August 24, 2000 at 20:30:22 (PDT)Ive' noticed a small prblem with the auto zoom on my trv900.
It somtime get a reading on the filter over the lense, from light reflection, or minuet particles, and this throws the whole focus can you help??
malcolme kennard <malkennard@hotmail>
USA - Sunday, August 27, 2000 at 20:43:25 (PDT)John, many thanks for invaluable information on your great website. It more than confirmed my decision to go for a TRV900. I am very pleased with it.
Ray Lucas
Oxford, UK - Monday, August 28, 2000 at 12:23:08 (PDT)I am getting great results in every respects with my TRV900. The shutter release is excellent as it provides you the option to keep or release the shot. The new model Flash Light is also great; the Sony HVL-FDH3. I haven't had any particular problems at all, but just total enjoyment from using the camcorder. The video and stills are excellent; The video is consistent and the stills great looking at up to 8X10. Arnold <seepi@earthlink.net>
Downey, Ca. USA - Tuesday, August 29, 2000 at 12:00:53 (PDT)I want to purchase TRV900 but hate to see TRV1000 (not even sure it's going to be named TRV1000) come out in few months later. A few months after I purchased my Hi-8, Sony introduced Digital 8. I know eventually it's waiting game. But does anyone know when Sony is going to introduce Newer 3ccd model?
Sean Kim <Skimcpa@msn.com>
Hillsboro, OR USA - Tuesday, August 29, 2000 at 14:29:21 (PDT)Your digital video site is truly excellent. I found it an extremely valuable resource. I was having problems with my mini-dv tapes crinkling in my Sony TRV-900 and I was freaking out! I thought I was cursed and I was throwing tantrums and making a fool out of myself. I make digital features and I've lost some great footage because of this screwy quirk. But it was great to find Mr. Beale's site and see that I'm not alone in this desparate pit of frustration and agonizing artistic impediment. Your site alleviated much of my stress and now I have some idea of what to do and how to keep my little baby clean. Thank you! Keep up the great work... Bob Moricz <mbob@epiphanysink.com>
Oakland, CA USA - Tuesday, August 29, 2000 at 15:57:22 (PDT)Wedding Collage - please help. Yesterday I found somewhere on the net and interesting article about a photographer who made (using his TRV900, I believe) a nice collage from an 28 February 1998 wedding of Cari and Mark at the Naworth Castle. I saved that article and picture -- but somehow the text got lost by my computer. Please help -- where can I find that article?
Cheers, Lubos
Lubos Palounek <pal@ieee.org>
Austin, TX USA - Monday, September 04, 2000 at 08:12:12 (PDT)I recently purchased a Sony TRV720 (not a 900) and was looking for an information based site. I found you! What a great job putting all this together. I know it was allot of work. Thanks from everyone! Great job! Good work!
I will learn lots from you here...
Ron <ronhovestad@home.com>
Nanaimo, BC Canada - Monday, September 04, 2000 at 11:42:50 (PDT)Congratulations! You sold another one today. I love it!!! Thanks for the great page and info!
George Sherrow <kittypickle@msn.com>
New York, NY USA - Thursday, September 07, 2000 at 19:42:56 (PDT)Hi John, found your web site by accident! I'm very impressed. I got my TVR 900 as an insurance replacement for an old Sony V200, which was in the boot, sorry trunk of my car , when it was stolen! I didn't know what I was getting, but I think I did OK!!
I've had the camcorder for about 4 months, but I'm only now starting to realise what a great machine it is, thanks in no small part to you and your great web page. I know you don't like adverts, but if any body in Blighty reads this an E-mail would be most welcombe, on any TRV 900 subject. Thanks again ANDY B.
Andy Braund <andrew@AndrewBraund.worldonline.co.uk>
barnstaple, devon UK - Monday, September 11, 2000 at 11:52:00 (PDT)This is an incredibly informatiove site. I have been researching digital video cameras for several months now, though I do not plan on buying one for another several months. Right now I am leaning toward the PC100 and TRV20 as they both take megapixel stills in addition to quality video. The only drawback to both of them is the light hungriness. But, they are going down in price and I really like them. Thanks for keeping up such a helpful site. Gillen Joachim <gjoachim_@hotmail.com>
Decatur, GA USA - Tuesday, September 12, 2000 at 11:00:54 (PDT)Thanks for the great info. I am changing from s-vhs
to DV soon and this has been most helpfull.
Mike Ward - Busby Video Mike Ward <busbyvideo@hotmail.com>
Glasgow, United Kingdom - Wednesday, September 20, 2000 at 04:57:32 (PDT)I have problems with IBM microdrive and TRV900. Does anybody use this combination?
Thanks,
Adomas
Adomas <adomas.svirskas@trilogy.com>
Austin, TX USA - Wednesday, September 20, 2000 at 19:53:14 (PDT)My first experience with digital and video. A friend
recommended the 900 and I owe him a lot of thanks. My wife
and I took it on our vacation to Bavaria and western Austria.
Great photos and full motion, plus loved photo capture from
full motion. Got lot's to learn (and it won't be from the
crummy manual).
Paul Hibbs <pehibbs@aol.com>
Manchester, CT USA - Sunday, September 24, 2000 at 15:44:49 (PDT)Fine video camera. Are there any books on it other than the SONY manual? The camera complexity is bewildering at times.
Bill Hogan <wbfh@earthlink.net>
Hurricane, UT USA - Monday, September 25, 2000 at 18:05:37 (PDT) The internal mike on my 900 has stopped working, although It still works with an external mike. Have tryed a system reset, but no joy. Anyone got any ideas.
Ta
Dave
Dave S. <davon@dircon.co.uk>
USA - Wednesday, September 27, 2000 at 12:37:53 (PDT)If it helps any, several other people have reported one or both internal mics going bad. The only fix I am aware of is dealer service to replace the affected mics.
See also DV
FAQ: wearout
John
USA - Wednesday, September 27, 2000 at 23:46:07 (PDT)Hi!!
Great Site....Really like your attitude and the unbiased reviews !! keep it up and you'll probably end up being the video component of photo.net (hope you don't take that as an insult!!)
Kohi <kohinahi@mail.com>
Tempe, AZ USA - Monday, October 02, 2000 at 12:08:35 (PDT)found your site through Victor film Group page. am looking to buy DV, qyite possible the 900 - but what about PD100? Any word on comparisons and if it's worrth the extra expese, Thanks
dmidtrui <dmidtrui@mac.com>
vancouver, bc canada - Thursday, October 05, 2000 at 14:35:05 (PDT)Check my TRV900 FAQ, I address this question. Mostly, the difference is DVCAM format (40 minute tapes) vs MiniDV (60/90 minutes SP/LP). Also, some accessories.
John
USA - Thursday, October 05, 2000 at 19:59:51 (PDT)thanks. nice site.
joeb
USA - Sunday, October 08, 2000 at 18:24:03 (PDT)Thanks John for your response regarding the internal mike problem with my 900.
I have hardly used the machine (5 60min tapes). It was after I used an external mike
for the first time that the problem occured.From then on the internal mike would pick up
a feint trace of sound with excessive hiss, and eventually would record nothing at all. But I can still
use an external mike. Odd hhmm. It's as if by plugging in the external mike for the first time some
physical damage was made to some circuitry.
Dave <davon@dircon.co.uk>
London, USA - Monday, October 09, 2000 at 11:57:48 (PDT)Like Dave, My 900's external mic has quit, and so has my Dad's 900 external mic. A call to SONY indicated that there were no bullitiens on the subject, but if there have been several complaints, perhaps it's time we let SONY know en masse. Dave, I wonder if plugging in your external mic did any damage at all. I wonder if it's a batch of bad mics that have begun to give up the ghost? Any other thoughts welcome. John, Thanks for a great site. Well done!
J. W. Hall <halljands@juno.com>
Salt Lake City, UT USA - Monday, October 09, 2000 at 14:53:08 (PDT)As mentioned at the end of my TRV900 FAQ under "wearout" I have heard several complaints about one or both internal mics dying. Probably five or more by this time.
John
USA - Monday, October 09, 2000 at 16:30:02 (PDT)How many of you know that you can make excellent digital copies of your slides with the TRV900. I didn't until I set up a copy stand (clean glass bridged between a few books with a well lit sheet of white paper below). I placed a 35mm slide on the glass and then positioned my 900 with its hood on directly on the slide. I then put "autolock" on manual so I could adjust color temp, program and exposure. The slide image was in focus with minimal distortion. AMAZING! I grabbed the images to the flash card and then cleaned things up in Paint Shop Pro. WOW! I LOVE THIS CAMERA.
Paul Lowry <pp002122@mindspring.com>
New York, NY USA - Tuesday, October 10, 2000 at 05:40:14 (PDT)Awesome information here. Thank you, thank you. Just in case anyone is shopping, I just picked one up at CameraWorld.com for $1700.50 Gary Lawhon <sales@gomalling.com>
Concord, CA USA - Tuesday, October 10, 2000 at 13:27:19 (PDT)Thanks for your site. I just bought a trv900. They sent me
a UV V37 filter (crystal optics) but I am having trouble
fitting the filter on to trv900.
Klp <kanti_27@yahoo.com>
Pembroke Pines, FL USA - Wednesday, October 18, 2000 at 06:57:37 (PDT)Dear John, Glad to see that you site is up and, from what I can see, growing exponentially. It looks great these days. I doubt you remember me but I throughally went through all your helpful information before buying my TRV900 and then submitted some stills I took in Mexico to your contributors page. Anyway, it's coming up on two years with my camera and I just thought I'd let you know how it's been standing up. Around 9 months ago I started having audio drop outs. (Today I just read your section on the problem - I wish I had read it before). I had Sony look at it once, and they could reproduce the dropouts. The problem continued until I couldn't take it anymore and I returned the camera for another look. This time they decided they needed to replace the video head. Sort of pricey but not as bad as expected. Around $200 dollars. Well, I got the camera back a week ago and so far so good. But if the problem crops up again, having read you audio problem section, I'll know where to direct the technicians if I have to go back in with it. Hours of use before replacing the head. Unfortunately not that many. Maybe 110 hours. Sort of disappointing. But I'm still big enough of a fan of the camera to drop back in and see what you're up to! Best, Brad Cheng
Brad Cheng <bradfordcheng@yahoo.com>
USA - Wednesday, October 18, 2000 at 09:53:42 (PDT)I have had two TRV900s in the past 18 months. The first developed a fault with noise lines appearing on the video. Sony replaced that camera after a lot of arquing. A year later this second camera seems to be giving itself a reset when the record button is pressed. The blue screen comes up and then the camera goes back to standby mode.
Another annoying fault is that the right microphone level is low with respect to the left.
I am sorry that I have spent so much money on such an unreliable piece of junk. I would recommend to anyone considering buying the TRV900 to think very carefully.
I am sorry that I spent
Henry Dijkstra <Mobilekiwi@hotmail.com>
Amsterdam, Netherlands - Saturday, October 21, 2000 at 12:54:27 (PDT)I am an old fan and customer of Sony. Today October 22, 2000 I had unfortunite experience with the dealer in Jeddah city in Jamjoon Shoping Mall. I bought, a month ago, a 29 inch TV (XG29M80). I recieved the TV without the Manual. When I went back to ask for the Manual, I was refused. I went with my complaint up to higher management but with no fail. Enough to say, but SONY at this end believe customer alway at fault.
ahmed <ahmed_mi@yahoo.com>
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia - Sunday, October 22, 2000 at 10:05:40 (PDT)First of all, your TRV900 web site has been very helpful in
deciding what camera to buy. I settled for the TRV900 and
as of this week am the proud owner of this camera. I have
to learn how to use it, of course, but out of curiousity I
just took some in and outdoor shots. No white balancing or
anything (I didn't read that part of the manual yet) and
only available lighting. Since I have an S-Video capture
card (a Pinnacle DC-10), I was interested in the quality of
the S-Video output. It is really amazing! For monitoring
I don't use a TV but a 17" Philips computer monitor. Some
time ago I bought an inexpensive S-Video converter from
TVOne, the Cheese Video Box (it is yellow). It has a line
doubler and gives really excellent picture quality. If you
don't have good monitor capabilities right now, this may be
an inexpensive solution. The Cheese Video Box is $119.00
(www.tvone.com/cheese.htm) and allows you to switch between
between use as computer and video monitor (my setup).
Job van Zuijlen
Job M. van Zuijlen <zuijlen@attglobal.net>
Arlington, VA USA - Saturday, October 28, 2000 at 13:06:04 (PDT)